I am inclined to take [face=SPIonic]muri/oj[/face] in association with discrete (countable) quantities.

[face=SPIonic]a)/peiroj[/face] or [face=SPIonic]a)peire/sioj[/face] has its origins in the word meaning 'rope'. But this word, [face=SPIonic]pei=rar[/face], is often associated with the 'ends' of a rope. Its sense is 'without end or limit'. Hence it seems to me better suited for continuous quantities.

But I very much doubt that Homer follows my 'rules' here. After all, [face=SPIonic]a)/poina[/face] is clearly 'discrete'. Maybe Homer modifies it with [face=SPIonic]a)peire/sioj[/face] to make us see the ransom as 'non-discrete', that is, as something that strikes us at first as boundless and not consisting of parts.

Paul wrote:But I very much doubt that Homer follows my 'rules' here. :) After all, [face=SPIonic]a)/poina[/face] is clearly 'discrete'. Maybe Homer modifies it with [face=SPIonic]a)peire/sioj[/face] to make us see the ransom as 'non-discrete', that is, as something that strikes us at first as boundless and not consisting of parts.

The plot thickens.....

I checked out my Cunliffe dictionary and this is what I found:

Phar says [face=SPIonic]a)perei/sioj[/face] means "boundless, countless, immeasurable", Cunliffe says [face=SPIonic]a)perei/sioj[/face] means "Not to be reckoned, of great amount or value" with respect to the word ransom.

However, [face=SPIonic]a)perei/sioj[/face] is a metathesis (transposed vowels--look carefully) of [face=SPIonic]a)peire/sioj[/face] which means (1) Boundless, endless, (2) Numberless, countless, according to Cunliffe.

So, who's correct? Pharr or Cunliffe? Or are metathesis words usually interchangeable?

It still doesn't answer the question of limitless discrete versus continuous nouns though...

Changes caused by transposition do not affect semantics, at least not at first.

As to discrete versus continuous magnitudes, well that's just my happy theory about how things would be in the best of all possible worlds. In fact, if Chantraine is right about origins of [face=SPIonic]muri/oi[/face], then my theory grows ever weaker: the word has its origin in the clearly continuous sea, but is later applied to discrete entities.